Re: Bug in createlang? - Mailing list pgsql-general

> Richard Huxton <dev@archonet.com> writes:
> > "Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote:
> >> Why does it ask 4 times?
>
> > createlang is just a script - it basically runs "/path/to/psql $QUERY" -
> > each query connects a separate time.
>
> Note that running a setup that requires password auth for the DBA will
> also be a major pain in the rear when running pg_dumpall: one password
> prompt per database, IIRC.  We have other scripts that make more than
> one database connection, too.

This brings up an issue I am concerned about.  Right now, when we
install the database with initdb, we basically are wide-opened to any
local user who wants to connect to the database as superuser.  In fact,
someone could easily install a function in template1 that bypasses
database security so even after you put a password on the superuser and
others, they could bypass security.

Do people have a good solution for this problem?  Should be be
installing a password for the super-user at initdb time?  I see initdb
has this option:

       --pwprompt

       -W     Makes  initdb prompt for a password of the database
              superuser. If you  don't  plan  on  using  password
              authentication,  this  is not important.  Otherwise
              you won't be able to  use  password  authentication
              until you have a password set up.

Do people know they should be using this initdb option if they don't
trust their local users?  I see no mention of it in the INSTALL file.

I see it does:

# set up password
if [ "$PwPrompt" ]; then
    $ECHO_N "Enter new superuser password: "$ECHO_C
    stty -echo > /dev/null 2>&1
    read FirstPw
    stty echo > /dev/null 2>&1
    echo
    $ECHO_N "Enter it again: "$ECHO_C
    stty -echo > /dev/null 2>&1
    read SecondPw
    stty echo > /dev/null 2>&1
    echo
    if [ "$FirstPw" != "$SecondPw" ]; then
        echo "Passwords didn't match." 1>&2
        exit_nicely
    fi
    echo "ALTER USER \"$POSTGRES_SUPERUSERNAME\" WITH PASSWORD '$FirstPw'" \
        | "$PGPATH"/postgres $PGSQL_OPT template1 > /dev/null || exit_nicely
    if [ ! -f $PGDATA/global/pg_pwd ]; then
        echo "The password file wasn't generated. Please report this problem." 1>&2
        exit_nicely
    fi

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